Install the Right Shower Cartridge in the Correct Orientation

To install a shower cartridge, match it to the valve, shut off both supplies, remove the old cartridge, prepare the valve body, then seat and secure the replacement in its specified orientation. Before using the shower, check for leaks, confirm hot/cold operation and adjust the temperature limit where fitted.

Orientation and retention are model-specific. The instructions below cover Moen 1222 PosiTemp, Moen 1225 in a Moentrol valve and Delta RP46074 13/14 MultiChoice cartridges. For another valve, use its exact installation sheet rather than borrowing these directions.

Select your confirmed cartridge and supply arrangement to see the seating and retaining requirements.

Confirm the Replacement Before Ordering

Record the brand, valve or trim model, and cartridge part number. If identification requires disassembly, shut off and verify the water supply first. Photograph the exposed valve and old cartridge; compare the body length, diameter, inlet openings, tabs and stem with the manufacturer’s parts diagram. Physical resemblance alone is not confirmation.

Delta’s cartridge reference distinguishes the shorter lower housing of RP19804 from the longer RP46074 housing. It also lists a separate ceramic cartridge for select models. A “Delta 13/14” description is therefore not enough to choose a replacement. See our RP19804 vs. RP46074 identification guide and the Delta cartridge reference sheet.

For Moen, start with our 1222 vs. 1225 identification guide.

Stop if the replacement number or valve family is still uncertain.

Shut Off Both Supplies Before Removing the Retainer

Have the matching cartridge, its instructions, the appropriate screwdriver or hex key, pliers, a drain cover and a thermometer ready. Gather any model-specific removal tool and manufacturer-specified lubricant before starting.

Shut off both hot and cold supplies using the shower’s service shutoffs, if provided, or the home’s main shutoff. Open the shower handle to verify that sustained flow stops. If water continues flowing, do not remove the cartridge retainer. Moen’s shutoff instructions warn that repairs without shutting off the supply can cause flooding or injury.

Cover the drain. Remove the handle and associated adapters or sleeves according to the trim instructions. Photograph the parts in order and the old cartridge’s orientation before removing its clip, bonnet or other retainer.

Remove the old cartridge using the specified method. For Moen-specific extraction, use our 1222 and 1225 removal sequence. Do not pry a Delta cartridge out with a screwdriver; the Delta RP46074 maintenance instructions in the sheet cited above explicitly prohibit that method.

Stop if the valve body moves with your pulling or twisting, or if the retainer is seized. Do not escalate force against the concealed piping; get plumbing help.

Clean the Valve Body and Inspect the Seals

Check that no pieces of the old cartridge or loose seals remain inside. Inspect the replacement seals for damage or displacement before insertion.

Moen recommends cleaning and flushing the valve body because debris can damage the new cartridge or obstruct flow. Its wall-mounted valve procedure calls for gentle cleaning with a nylon-bristle brush, standing outside the tub or shower, and turning the supply on only slightly for a small flow. With separate hot and cold shutoffs, flush each side individually. Shut the supplies off again, then remove residual water before insertion. Follow the full cleaning and flushing procedure; do not open the main fully into an empty valve.

Use only the lubricant specified for your cartridge, where instructed. Do not assume every cartridge needs extra grease. Moen’s 1225 servicing guidance specifies silicone-based grease and warns against petroleum-containing lubricants because they may react with the rubber seals. See Moen’s lubricant guidance.

Seat and Secure the Cartridge by Model

Moen 1222 PosiTemp: H&C Tab Up, Clip Fully Installed

For the normal orientation:

1. Lubricate the outward-facing surfaces of the oval rubber grommets as instructed.
2. Point the H&C tab upward and slide the cartridge straight into the valve. Do not rotate it during insertion; the rubber ovals can fall off.
3. Seat it until the H&C tab is flush with the valve body.
4. Gently slide the retaining clip through its slot. If it resists, recheck seating rather than forcing it.
5. Position the brass stem’s notched side opposite the H&C tab.

Do not restore water with a missing, damaged or incompletely installed clip. These details are from Moen’s 1222 installation instructions.

Moen 1225 Moentrol: Align the Tabs Before Inserting the Clip

Slide the cartridge into the valve body. Use the supplied twisting tool to align its plastic tabs with the valve-body slots at 12 and 6 o’clock. Insert the copper retaining clip gently; resistance means the alignment needs checking.

For the usual hot-left/cold-right supply arrangement, set the stem’s small notch downward. Refit the D washer and stop tube. Water must remain off until the clip is installed correctly. See Moen’s 1225 Moentrol instructions.

Delta RP46074: Match “Hot Side” to the Actual Hot Supply

For normal hot-left/cold-right plumbing, position “hot side” on the left. Seat the cartridge tubes and O-rings in the holes at the back of the valve, with the locating keys fully engaged in their slots. Slide the bonnet nut over the cartridge and hand-tighten it securely.

For reversed supplies—hot on the right—Delta specifies “hot side” on the right. Seat and align the cartridge before tightening the bonnet; do not use the nut to pull a misaligned cartridge into place. See Delta’s 13/14 installation instructions.

Test for Leaks and Correct Hot/Cold Operation

Refit the handle components needed to operate the valve according to the trim instructions. With the cartridge fully secured and the control in its off position, restore the supplies gradually. Keep the valve visible while checking for leaks. Operate the control through its range, then check that it shuts the water off. Shut the supplies off again if the valve leaks.

Check hot/cold direction before anyone uses the shower. The correction is not the same for every cartridge:

• Moen 1222: Moen directs removing and rotating the entire cartridge 180 degrees. See the 1222 reversal instructions.
• Moen 1225: Rotate the stem 180 degrees; the cartridge body does not need removal. See the 1225 reversal instructions.
• Delta RP46074: Recheck the “hot side” marking against the actual supply arrangement.

Follow the shutoff precautions before making corrections.

Set the Temperature Limit Before Reassembling the Trim

Adjust any rotational limit stop or temperature control using the exact model instructions and a thermometer. For the Delta 13/14 instructions cited here, cold water must flow first, and the hottest outlet temperature must not exceed 120°F or a lower maximum required by local code. Do not simply move the stop to its hottest setting to fix lukewarm water. Follow Delta’s temperature-setting procedure.

Reassemble the remaining trim and restore its wall seal as directed by the trim manufacturer. If there is no flow after installation, first confirm both supplies are open. Before reopening the valve, shut them off and recheck the part number, seating and orientation. Leave the shower out of use if leaks or unsafe temperature behavior remain unresolved.